London-based leisure trust, Jubilee Hall Clubs, has been nominated for the Chief Medical Officer's Public Health Award.

The charity was nominated - alongside GLL and NHS Camden - for its work on the Give It A Go! programme.

The scheme aimed to provide opportunities for the poorest residents of Camden to participate in free physical activity in the month of March.

Any resident in receipt of benefits or over the age of 60 could apply for a one-month free gym membership at any one of four leisure centres in the Borough. The scheme attracted 1,800 new users, who visited a total of 13,600 times. Participants who visited at least five times in March were then rewarded with a further six months' free membership, funded by NHS Camden. More than 70 per cent of users qualified for the additional six months' membership and the centres are employing a range of follow-up activities to keep them engaged and reduce drop-out.

Phil Rumbelow, chief executive of Jubilee Hall Clubs said: "The Give it a Go! scheme fits in well with our mission of improving community health and complements our many other community programmes which include after-school MEND classes for obese children and cardiac rehab and GP referral schemes. Making it free for people to use the gym has removed the barrier of cost and we are delighted that so many of the original participants are still attending."

NHS Camden's Head of Public Partnerships, Clare Wilson added: "We are still analysing the success of the scheme and we will be monitoring people's progress over the course of the project, but the indications are overwhelmingly positive. If we can remove the barriers to help people improve their lifestyle, and it produces demonstrable health benefits, then we are doing our job."

The CMO's award was a new concept this year and attracted 147 entries from across the UK. The Give It A Go! programme was one of only seven finalists.

Photograph: Phil Rumbelow (far right) Chief Executive of Jubilee Hall Clubs is pictured with the Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson (centre) and the NHS Camden team.